Distance
by cloudedge
Summary: [GSD AxC]Athrun and Cagalli Introspectives set at the end of epsiod 50 after Messiah is destoryed. Featuring: Athrun, Cagalli, Meyrin, Lacus and Kira KxL implied


My interpretation of what happened 24hrs after Messiah is destroyed. It's really meant to be an AxC even though it might not seem like it. Review and Critizism Welcomed :)

* * *

"She is better for him anyway…"

Cagalli turn on the light in her empty room as she dragged her tired body quietly into bathroom, not wanting to wake up anyone in the house in the dead of the night.

Setting the water temperature and letting the water fill up the tub in a mechanic motion, Cagalli walked back to the mirror, letting out a long breathe. Finally, she can have some time for herself after working non-stop for sixty hours since the announcement of Destiny Plan.

Turning her head to the clock on the side, "Four-Thirty," she noted. Four hours till her next meeting regarding the return of the first set of space shuttle that left immediately after the announcement of Destiny Plan. She knew she really should head to bed instead, but taking a hot bath after a long day of work is something that she can never deny herself.

"…even at the expense of sleep?" she recall how a certain blue hair bodyguard had once criticize her for this habit.

She smiled sadly, shaking her head and chiding herself for thinking about him as she took off one of many identical white blouses that she is wearing. A thin silver chain appears underneath with a red jeweled ring hanging from it.

She picked up the ring and stared at it for a moment. She pondered on the idea of slipping the small ring into her finger like she has done before in her private sanctuary that is her bathroom.

"Not today…" she thought to herself. Today she is victorious. Orb has escaped a narrow death and the evacuation plan has worked wonderfully. All civilians have arrive safely at the several Orb space colonies and are already starting to head back to Orb.

She smiled to herself, remembering how she has strike a deal with Juna to push forward a new evacuation plan after Shin confrontation in Minerva. It was hard to push for such a plan to the Seiran as they seem to think that Orb is infallible now that they are in control of it. It was as an exchange for agreeing with the wedding that she was able to get the funding for this project. And as much as she had dreaded to see it in action, she was glad that it have at least work the way it was planned when they needed it.

"But is all of this worth it?" She thinks to herself, a certain pair of green eyes appears in her mind. She shook her head trying to shake away the thought.

"She is better for him anyway." She muttered.

Sinking into the tub and letting the hot water hit on the sore muscles on her shoulder, she let out a sigh of relieve. She smiled at how much she enjoy the water massage function now and recalled how she had squirmed in fear of being tickle by the water current when a certain blue hair guy suggested her to try it.

How things have changed. She thought.

Indeed, how things have changed. The said blue hair guy is probably in Minerva now. She knew from the report that everyone, Kira, Lacus, Athrun, and Meyrin were safe about an hour after Messiah had sank. She slips lower into the tub, letting her thoughts be carried away to the red hair girl.

"She is probably by his side, looking after him." She thought to herself, something that she couldn't do now.

She recalled seeing her waiting on the bench outside the sick room whenever she visits Athrun. The girl that Athrun brought back with him from Zaft has always politely waited outside till she leaves before taking her sit beside Athrun's bed. She had wondered why he had brought her back, but she had never brought the question up. She is not someone who likes to pry and somehow she knew that he had not wanted her to ask.

"She is better for him anyway" She muttered looking at her reflection on water. Even with all the rippling she can see how her face has changed. Her cheeks are hollow, lips chapped, and her eyes dull and surrounded by dark circles that she can't remember when it has become a permanent fixture on her face.

She tries to remember the red hair girl's face; it was a young pretty carefree face. A face that belongs to a normal teenager, as normal as a drafted teenager can be at least. "But she has already left Zaft for him," she noted to herself. She smirked, remembering how she herself have ran away from Orb before, she wonders if the blue hair pilot will ever notice that he has a thing for "run-away" girls.

"She's pretty, she has time, and she is willing to leave her country behind for you, Athrun, what else would you ask for?" She smiled sadly, looking through the glass ceiling at the clear sky filled with plenty of stars. She looked at each of the light wondering if it could have come from Eternal.

"Are you with her right now?" She whispers, but he's too far away to hear.

* * *

The door connecting the hanger to the rest of the ship slided opened, and the two wryly Gundam pilots are greeted with two worried females. Before the pilots can respond, Lacus already has her arms around Kira's torso and rested her head on his shoulder. Athrun can see that worry that lingers in her eyes despite the fact that they are standing safely in front of her. Kira hugged her back gently, and not before long their eyes met. And the small eye exchange was all Lacus need to know that Kira was in need of quiet time with her to ponder on what happened inside Messiah.

Athrun has always been envy of how Lacus and Kira seem to be able to communicate the most difficult feelings without words. There was no doubt that he and Cagalli were able to read each other but they have always only use it to tease and bargain with one another, and was never to use it the way Kira and Lacus do.

"Please excuse us." Lacus said politely. Athrun gave Kira a nod, and Kira looked back at him then to his side before walking away with Lacus. Athrun turn to the direction that Kira was looking at before registering Meyrin.

"I'm glad you back." She welcomed him with a warm smile, her hands held tightly to her chest. He can see that she had wanted to hug him like how Lacus has embraced to Kira, but she had stopped herself knowing that it would be inappropriate.

"Thank you." Not knowing what else to respond, he muttered what was in his mind. He has always appreciates the space that she has given him, unlike her bolder sister.

Too tired from the battle, and not wanting his thought to dwell on the topic, he excused himself to his room.

Athrun walked across the room and sat down at the window sill, he stared at the blue globe that's Earth. He did this from time to time in Minerva when no one was watching but he hadn't been having the time to do this for a while since the announcement of Destiny Plan. And despite being exhausted from the battle he doubts that he would be able to fall asleep. He looks down at Earth again, wondering if he could pick out where Orb is.

"Orb is too small to be picked out at this distance." He reminded himself, but yet he couldn't take his eyes off the blue planet trying to locate any landmarks to help him deduct what time it is at Orb. He had always prefers figuring the time this way instead of verifying it with the computer.

He turned his away from the window, feeling the ache in his neck, he knew his body crave for sleep and yet he mind seems to disagree. A fond memory surface, he remembers how a certain nervous blonde faced a similar case of insomnia, the night before her first speech as the Head Representative of Orb. The problem seems to vaporize after Kisaka have passed her a mug of hot chocolate. He recalls her peaceful sleeping face after taking the remedy.

"Are you still not sleeping right like how you use to?" He muttered to himself.

Walking out of his room in search of the said insomnia remedy, he saw a certain red head in front of the vending machine.

She seems surprise to meet him and gave him a genuine smile.

"Decaf Blue Mountain, no sugar and two cream, right?" she smiled, putting in the order before he can respond. He was surprised that she had ordered his usual beverage wondering how she had known.

The sound of liquid hitting on paper cups was the only sound that filled the corridor for a few second. Athrun sat down on the bench beside the vending machine, his eyes wandered to the TV screen across the vending machine. It is broadcasting about the fall of Messiah with various news reporters talking about the current situation, and text crawls below announcing the departure times for air shuttle back to Orb for Orb citizens.

Meyrin handed him the coffee and took a sit beside him.

"Thank you" he said, holding the warm cup with both hands and staring at the lush dark liquid.

"Why do you even drink any coffee if you don't want any caffeine?" Athrun recalls a certain blonde protesting to his choice of beverage.

"Long-term caffeine consumption affects eye-hand co-ordination" he replied stating the facts.

"Then you should have given it up totally," retorted the stubborn blonde.

The voice of the blonde brings him back to the corridor; he puts the coffee down on the bench and look up at the TV. It is broadcasting a speech from earlier on. The Head Representative of Orb is talking to the media informing them that it is now safe for the citizens to return to Orb.

"… the space shuttle will be available to transport all Orb citizens back to the country but there is no need to rush to the spaceport, especially for those in Charapolis." A surge of laughter arouse from the reports at the Head Representative's sense of humor as Charapolis is one of the most renounced vacation spot in Orb's colonies. Athrun smiled at her comment, she seems to have got use to media very fast. Her speech no longer sound rehearsed and she's letting more of her spontaneous personality to show. He has no doubt that not having the Seiran breathing on her neck was a big factor.

He thought of the once nervous blonde…How things have changed…

"She looks…exhausted," Meyrin whispered quietly. Her voice pulling Athrun away from his thought, he looked at the screen again, noticing the dark circle underneath her eyes even with the thick concealer that the makeup artist has smeared on her.

He remembered how she protested about not wanting to put on any makeup until the makeup artist project her face on the fifteen by ten feet TV screen showing her her two by one feet dark circle and plainly stated that the citizen would think she's a walking zombie if she goes on screen bare faced.

"Yeah, I doubt she has slept well lately," he smiled at that memory and replied. He wonders if he'll ever have another chance to hand her a cup of hot chocolate.

"And I think I should head to bed now," he added as the reporters are brought back to report on another news headline.

Meyrin watch him as he headed back to his room, noticing the coffee that was untouched.

"Will you ever let go of her?" She whispers, but he's too far away to hear.


End file.
